This article analyzes the 2025 Australian election campaign, focusing on the cost-of-living crisis and contrasting the government's approach with the Opposition's plan to cut public servants. It also explores the unusual strategy of delaying specific spending cuts until after the election, highlighting the complex political landscape surrounding government spending.
Fifteen years ago, the fate of Australia 's government hung in the balance, resting on the decisions of two independent MPs: Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor. Oakeshott, famously, took just 17 minutes to decide he would support a minority Labor government. Now, both men reflect on the political landscape of 2010, a hung parliament, and the pressure to choose a side.
They recall the then Opposition's refusal to have their policies costed by Treasury and Finance before the election, claiming foul play in the process. Fast forward to the 2013 election, where Tony Abbott made promises of no cuts to education, health, pensions, the GST, or the ABC or SBS. Then to the unofficial 2025 campaign, dominated by the cost-of-living crisis. The current Opposition, led by Peter Dutton, promises to address financial strain by cutting public servants, claiming this will save $24 billion and put downward pressure on inflation.The government, however, has taken a different approach, re-employing contractors and bolstering understaffed areas like Veteran's Affairs. Adding to the complexities, Dutton suggests the Coalition might not reveal specific spending cuts until after the election, a move rarely seen in recent political history. This ambiguity comes amidst heated debates about government spending, particularly on cultural diversity and inclusion initiatives, First Nations approaches to foreign policy, and the First Nations ambassador position, all deemed wasteful by some
Cost-Of-Living Election Australia Opposition Government Spending Public Servants Cuts Politics
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